Union Academy have six in 2016 class rankings

Auston Trusty, Raheem Taylor-Parkes, Andrew Verdi, Alexander Soto, Emmanuel Perez, and Yosef Samuel all cracked the recent update of the TopDrawerSoccer Boys IMG Academy 150 player rankings.

Trusty, the U18 center back who is verbally committed to play at North Carolina in the fall, is the highest ranked of the Union players at No. 26, followed by forward Raheem Taylor-Parkes at No. 54. Taylor-Parkes has verbally committed to play at Virginia in the fall.

Goalkeeper Andrew Verdi comes in at No. 70. He's verbally committed to Michigan. Midfielder Alexander Soto is at No. 89, followed by midfielder Emmanuel Perez at No. 106 and forward Yosef Samuel at No. 126.

PDA midfielder Isaiah Young, who was on the U16 team during its first season in the U.S. Development Academy in 2013-2014, is ranked No. 76.

Other players with local ties on the list include:

• Hershey native and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Christian Pulisic, ranked No. 1. Pulisic trained with the Union Academy U14 team in 2012-2013.
  
• Macungie native and West Ham defender Daniel Barbir, ranked No. 7. Barbir trained with the Union Academy U14 team in 2012-2013.
• Kevin Silva, a PDA goalkeeper from Bethlehem who is verbally committed to UCLA, is ranked No. 13. He trained with the Union Academy U14 team in 2012-2013.
  
• James Murphy, a PDA midfielder from Scotch Plains, N.J., is ranked No. 27. He trained with the Union Academy U14 team in 2012-2013.
  
• Sean Teixeira, a forward from New York Red Bulls Academy, is ranked No. 62. He is verbally committed to play college soccer at Villanova this fall.
  
• Grant Wu, a midfielder from Wayne who plays for Continental FC DELCO, ranked No. 132.
• Leon Maric, forward for Continental FC DELCO, ranked No. 138. He'll be a teammate of Taylor-Parkes at Virginia this fall.